


A Sign of the Times

by eoen



Series: The Signs Universe [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Pre-Slash, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-24
Updated: 2011-02-24
Packaged: 2017-10-15 22:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/165530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eoen/pseuds/eoen





	1. Kate's POV

## A Sign of the Times - Kate's POV

Kate had been gone for a four day weekend. As soon as she settled at her desk, she knew there was trouble. McGee was missing, probably in the lab with Abby. Gibbs was drinking his coffee. Tony, well, that was how she knew there was a problem. Tony was glaring at Gibbs with the most malevolent gaze she had ever seen. Tony, Gibbs' personal puppy, was pissed.

"What did he do this time?" she asked Tony as she sat down.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Gibbs stated flatly. He signed something in Tony's direction. The young man scowled, but turned to his computer. Kate raised a brow, but Gibbs ignored her. She resolved to figure it out without talking to either of the men.

"Boss," Tony said calmly. Gibbs didn't move. Kate blinked. Gibbs was ignoring him? That might do it. Tony snorted. He waved his hand. Gibbs glanced up at the movement in the corner of his eye. "Boss," Tony repeated, signing this time, "Why did you involve, Abby?" Gibbs smirked, signing his response. "Just so you know, I am getting Ducky to help me hide your body," Tony responded. Gibbs laughed.

"What's with the signing? Gibbs, did you lose your voice?"

"No, Kate. DiNozzo wanted to learn to sign, I'm teaching him."

"No, Kate, he's not teaching, he's torturing. He won't listen to me at all, and now he's got Abby doing it too. She pretends that she can't hear me! At least she taught me how to curse more than a year ago." Tony stood in front of Gibbs' desk now. Gibbs was still turned to look at Kate.

"I'm using full immersion. He'll never learn if he has to rely on talking to me. And it won't do him any good with a witness if he has to rely on their ability to read lips. I'm sure Abby's teaching him words I don't want him to know. On the plus side, it's been quieter around here. You should try it."

"Try what? Signing? No, thanks."

"It's useful."

Tony waved, catching Gibb's attention. "Lunch time. I'm going out. Don't expect me before one."

"Take your phone," Gibbs responded, signing automatically, but obviously not wanting any excuses. Tony flipped him off, but picked up his phone. Gibbs caught his attention and signed something else. Kate caught a quick glimpse of a blush on Tony's cheeks, then he was gone. "So, how was your weekend, Kate?"

"Have you been doing this for the entire weekend?" she asked bluntly.

"We had some cold case work to finish up with. We worked the weekend."

"So you've been doing this all weekend."

Gibbs smirked. "Even McGee's starting to pick things up. I think Abby's coaching him at night."

"I have to ask, what is this?" She mimed pulling at the side of her head.

"Abby. It's his sign for Abby. Pigtails."

****

Tony was calmer after lunch, but he wasn't looking at Gibbs at all. He exchanged a few snappish comments with McGee about hiding down in the lab, but beyond that he was silent. "How was the weekend, McGee?" Kate asked, unable to take the silent tension for another minute.

"I got a crash course in accounting," McGee responded. "Paper accounting and double books." He nodded towards Tony. "But other than that, actually rather quiet for once. No one got hurt."

"That's a start. One of Tony's dates didn't try to kill him for not showing up?" Okay, so she was trying to bait Tony. She didn't expect it would work, not with the angry tension in his shoulders.

"Appearantly not, Agent Todd. Tony," Gibbs waved. The younger agent looked up. "Get the car, we have a case." Tony caught the keys, grabbed his things and left the office. "Do you need an engraved invitation?" Gibbs snapped at the other two agents. The scrambled to get ready to leave.

****

Gibbs made his "Tony" sign - cop plus heart - and even Kate was able to figure it out. Tony cocked his head to the side. He glanced at the crime scene. He nodded, making the sign Kate recognized as "boss" now. It was fascinating to watch them interact and the profiler in her wanted to spend more time on it. The problem was, they had a dead Marine laying on the floor of the bar and seemingly no witnesses since the bar had been closed up tight until the owner opened the door at one. Tony was already taking measurements and snapping a thourough roll of film. Kate moved to her own tasks without a word. This was a well-rehearsed play for them all.

"Boss," Tony was frozen, staring at something by the body. "Trouble." The team turned all turned at that. Kate had her gun out an instant later. Sitting next to the body was a snake. It was a pretty red snake and Kate ran through the rhyme in her head. Red next to yellow, you're a dead fellow. Red next to black, you're okay, Jack. Tony obviously had done the same because he was beginning to relax. Though, how had a King snake gotten into a DC bar?

McGee had found an empty box in the back of the SUV and was advancing slowly towards the frozen tableau. He'd punched holes in the cover by the time he made it back inside. Tony wasn't moving, but the snake was fixated on him. He took the box from McGee and set it on the floor. The snake slithered toward it and into it, obviously a well-treated pet. Tony put the lid onto the box. He wrapped it with the crime scene tape Gibbs offered him. "At least Abby will be happy," McGee muttered. He retreated with the snake.

"Back to work, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped. Kate was impressed that he managed to sign as he snapped. She got back to her own work, hiding a small smile. It wasn't until a few silent minutes later that the paranoia set. Tony wasn't bitching or teasing her. "McGee, ambulance," Gibbs snapped. Kate looked up in time to see him pin DiNozzo with a glare. The young man looked up at him innocently. The glare turned to ice. Caught on the fringes of it, Kate decided not to turn fully around and investigate what was going on. When Ducky arrived, it was a relief. At least he was still talking.

****

Hours, no centuries, later, they were tying up the loose ends. It had just been prank gone horribly wrong. No one, not even their poor dead Marine, had known he had a heart condition. No physical had ever found it. But when he opened the coffee can and found what he took to be a poisonous snake, he'd had a heart attack. The pranksters hadn't even been in the room with him. They'd been filming the whole thing. Their victim had been helping out his girlfriend - the bartender - by cleaning up. She'd fainted and collapsed behind the bar, giving herself a concussion. They'd found her there. She was in the hospital recovering.

Tony stretched, catching Kate's eye. He grinned at her. "So, you have a good time with. . .?" he trailed off, fishing for the name of who she'd spent the weekend with.

"My mother? Yes, I did. We went to a spa. Did all the wonderful girly things she likes. So, how are the lessons going?"

"Well, I can't curse as fluently as I'd like, but Abby's catching me up on that. But, on the plus side, I can make comments about your assets to McGee without you know it, so it's all good."

Her eyes narrowed. "My assets?"

"Your training, your wit, your ankles." He smirked at her. She glared at him. "Not to mention, the possibilities for ganging up on you have just expanded." The smack to the back of his head was only a surprise to him. Gibbs smirked down at him.

"Be good," he ordered.

"You take away all my fun, boss," Tony whined. He was signing automatically now and Kate had to smirk. Then, he signed something to McGee. She frowned.

"If you want to know, learn," Gibbs told her. Her email pinged.

"Join the club. We'll freak out the other teams," The email said. Then, there was a link to an online dictionary. She glanced over at her fellow agents. McGee was looking at her with a smile. She nodded at them.

Gibbs raised a brow. He signed something at her. Then, he glared at her and the order became perfectly clear. She turned to her report.

FINIS - Kate's POV


	2. Kate's POV

## A Sign of the Times - Tony's POV

Abby grinned up at Tony. She signed the answers to his question and he scowled at her. "He's turned you to the dark side," he told her. She cocked her head to the side, eyes bright. He repeated the sentence in sign and once more cursed himself. It had all started with an innocent question.

"Is there a book or something you'd reccomend if I wanted to learn to sign?" Tony asked Gibbs over pizza. He was still trying to figure out why he was working on a cold case on what was supposed to be his weekend off. Just because some high muckity-muck thought he'd seen their suspect with a Pina Colada and a beach-bleached-blonde in Florida, they were reviewing the case. It was a simple case of missing money, but still, here he was, eating sausage pizza and drinking more coffee than he should need to on a weekend.

He looked up from his file when he felt Gibbs' eyes on him. He repressed the urge to fidgit. Those blue eyes were intense, seriously intense, and his mouth went dry. "Let me teach you," his boss had said finally.

"Sure," Tony agreed, thinking nothing more of it. Gibbs had taught him signs here and there over the years.

"You'll want to find a dictionary to supplement, but I'll walk you through things. Oh, and Tony, if you don't sign, I won't answer. From here on, I'm deaf to you unless we're on a scene."

"Boss?" Tony swallowed.

"Sign it. Even if you have to finger-spell it. I know you know that much."

"I don't understand, boss." There was no response, except for that blue-eyed gaze searing him to his bones. "Boss?" he tried again, finger-spelling the word slowly. Gibbs smiled. It was a gentle smile.

B-O-S-S, Gibbs signed, then made the real sign.

"Boss?" Tony confirmed using the sign. Gibbs nodded. They worked through the files. "Boss, I need McGee." He tried to stumble through the sentence. He used "MIT" for McGee like Abby had done when she was teasing the younger man. Gibbs nodded. He gestured toward the phone. Tony sighed. It looked like he was on his own now. He glared at his boss. Gibbs smirked, eyes laughing. "Hey, Probie. We're working a case. I need your eyes for something. No, not computer related. But it does have to do with numbers. Oh, and hurry, Gibbs is driving me insane." He hung up the phone without letting McGee say anything else. "McGee is coming in."

Gibbs absorbed that. He signed slowly and distinctly. Tony bit his lip, silently translating. "You something MIT," he said to himself. He mimicked the middle sign with raised brows. "Teach?" Gibbs nodded. The next order was easy to understand. "Get more coffee."

McGee's confused face when he arrived told Tony that he'd just pulled the man from an afternoon nap. The young agent glanced at the clock and winced. Okay, he'd just pulled him out of bed, but the coffee and the bright lights of the office had kept him from noticing it was after ten o'clock. He was lucky that the man hadn't been at Abby's. "Sorry about the time, Probie."

McGee shrugged. He blinked a few times. "What do you need me to look at?"

"These financials. There's something wrong with them, but I'm missing it."

"Okay. What am I looking at?"

A few hours later, McGee was looking a lot more alert. "How did you learn all this stuff?"

"Self-preservation." Tony shrugged. Gibbs caught his attention. "Don't want to, boss," he signed back carefully. That earned him a frown and a slow rendition of what he now recognized as Gibbs' sign for his name. He winced, knowing instinctively that equalled "DiNozzo" as opposed to "Tony." "On it, boss."

McGee was frowning at him. "Did Gibbs lose his voice?"

"No, I made the mistake of mentioning I wanted to learn sign. He wants me to teach you."

"I guess you'll want the website Abby showed me."

"You are a blessing, Probie. Now, see how this doesn't add up, we need to find out where the money went instead of into these accounts."

Gibbs clapped sharply. Tony looked up, startled. "Sign it, Tony."

"Bastard," Tony signed carefully. Abby had taught him that one so that they could do a mood check without alerting the man.

Gibbs smirked. "You know it."

"This is going to be Hell, isn't it," McGee muttered.

"The other reason I needed you here," Tony said, signing slowly. "He's driving me crazy."

"Short trip."

"Don't make me hurt you, Probie."

The weekend progressed. McGee found the hidden accounts through some almost-legal hacking that Tony watched, but didn't understand. He was able to verify the information with print-outs though, so Gibbs didn't make him explain everything to him. Tony shuddered, thinking how long that would have taken with Gibbs only responding to sign. The senior field agent stretched. "Go home," Gibbs ordered. "Reports ready on Monday." Thank God, Tony thought. I'll have time to get some vocabulary under my belt tomorrow.

****

Tony glared at the file on his desk as if it had caused him personal offence. McGee had ducked out to grab lunch. Gibbs was buried in his own files, trying to get ahead just in case they were called. The room was quiet, except for the background murmur of other teams. Tony looked at Kate's empty desk. You better get back soon, woman, he commanded. Tony sighed. He waved to catch Gibbs' attention. "I'm going to see Abby."

"There better be a report on my desk first."

Tony sighed. He finished his report. McGee was back by then and the three men tucked into their hamburgers and fries. Kate wasn't there chide them and Ducky was tucked away in his lab working on someone else's poor stiff. It was so good to have cholesterol and grease and ketchup without someone bitching at him. One of the other teams, he couldn't be bothered to remember their names most days, walked by. The youngest one grinned and waved. Tony waved back. Gibbs glared at him and the younger man wondered what he'd done this time.

"What?"

Gibbs raised his brows.

"Forget it," Tony signed. He went back to his burger. He escaped to the sanity, such as it was, of Abby's lab. And that's when the real trouble started. The music was at its usual level. Abby was bobbing along with it. But when he called her name, she didn't hear him. He nearly snarled in frustration. Gibbs had done the same thing for two and a half days now. He tugged at her pigtail. "Hi, Abbs."

She cocked her head to the side. She grinned at him. "What brings you down here?" she signed.

"No, Abbs, please," he begged. Her bright eyes and smile didn't flicker. He sighed. "Gibbs, is evil."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you need, pretty boy?"

"That's not right."

"Get used, to it. It's all you."

"Bitch."

She smirked. She signed something too quick for him to make out.

He caught her hands. "Slow down," he finger signed. She gave him a sheepish smile in apology.

"So ask me your questions. If you're nice, I'll teach you how to tease McGee." She signed slowly, explaining the signs he didn't understand with finger signs.

Tony sighed. It was going to be a long day. Maybe Kate would be nice enough to shoot him when she got back.

****

Kate showed up a few hours late the next day. By that time, Tony couldn't keep from glaring at his boss. The man would start sentences when he wasn't looking, then chide him for not paying full attention. It was cruel. And that damned blue-eyed gaze would fix on his own eyes and distract him from the man's hands. It wasn't as if Gibbs couldn't communicate perfectly well without official signs. Tony was actually rather good at discerning the man's moods and needs. The fifth time he'd been sent to make coffee, because it seemed McGee wasn't any good at it, he was ready to pour the cup right on the grey hair of the bastard himself.

"What did he do this time?" she asked Tony as she sat down.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Gibbs stated flatly. "Get to work, Dinozzo," he added.

"Boss," Tony said calmly. Gibbs didn't move. He'd hoped that Kate's return would be the end of his torture. Tony snorted. He waved his hand. Gibbs glanced up. "Boss," Tony repeated, signing this time, "Why did you involve, Abby?" Gibbs smirked, signing his response. "Just so you know, I am getting Ducky to help me hide your body," Tony responded. Gibbs laughed.

"What's with the signing? Gibbs, did you lose your voice?"

"No, Kate. DiNozzo wanted to learn to sign, I'm teaching him."

"No, Kate, he's not teaching, he's torturing. He won't listen to me at all, and now he's got Abby doing it too. She pretends that she can't hear me! At least she taught me how to curse more than a year ago." Tony stalked to his boss' desk. Gibbs was still turned to look at Kate, ignoring him.

"I'm using full immersion. He'll never learn if he has to rely on talking to me. And it won't do him any good with a witness if he has to rely on their ability to read lips. I'm sure Abby's teaching him words I don't want him to know. On the plus side, it's been quieter around here. You should try it."

"Try what? Signing? No, thanks." Smart girl, Kate, Tony thought, though he knew that if he said it, he'd be castrated for using "girl." He waited patiently, trying his best not to fidgit.

"It's useful."

Unable to stand it any longer, Tony waved, catching Gibb's attention. "Lunch time. I'm going out. Don't expect me before one."

"Take your phone," Gibbs responded. Tony flipped him off, but picked up his phone. Gibbs caught his attention "Promises, promises." Tony felt the blush as he turned. He grabbed his coat and headed out. He needed to calm down before he threw something. Damn the man for being able to irritate him so completely.

Tony settled into a booth and flirted with the waitress. "Thanks," he said when she brought his coffee. She was an older black woman with a sweet smile and kind eyes. He liked her immediately. He hoped she'd adopt him. It would be worth a little extra whipped cream on his sundae.

"You're welcome, sweetie. You look strung out."

"My boss is driving me crazy," he sighed.

"What can I get you, hon?"

"Lasagne with extra garlic bread." He smiled at her and handed over his menu. She nodded, then smiled back. Tony felt his shoulders relax. Why the Hell was Gibbs getting to him so badly today? It wasn't being ignored. They'd gone entire days without talking before Kate and McGee. He blinked. He couldn't be jealous of Probie, could he? He sipped his coffee, eyes closed. When he opened them again, he half-expected to see Gibbs sitting across from him. You've got it bad, Dinozzo, he told himself. Gibbs is not God, even though he acts like it.

He glanced around the cafe and smiled. His back was against a sturdy wall, he had a full view of the doors and there was a mirror next to him that let him see the rest of the room. "So, hon, you a cop or should I call one?" his waitress asked as she refilled his cup.

"Cop," he confirmed. He took his coffee cup back greedily. "You get a lot of trouble in here?" He cocked his head to the side. "Doris?"

"I've been doing this job for thirty years now, hon. I notice things about people. And we get two types with weapons in here."

"Ah. That's why she set me up back here."

"So, your boss?"

"Pain in the butt, but," Tony shrugged.

"You're stuck with him?"

"Beat out my previous two year record with one boss. I'm thinking I should ask for a divorce since he hasn't noticed that yet." He grinned up at her as she laughed.

"Ah, sweetie, he keeps you for that smile. I would." She filled his coffee once more. "Should I just leave the pot?" He shook his head. "I'll be back soon, hon. Then you can tell me all your troubles." Tony looked at the sparsly populated room. "We usually do take out at lunch time."

"Yeah, we normally send McGee over to pick up." Tony nodded his understanding. A few minutes later, he was digging into his lasagne and pouring his carefully edited heart out to her. He looked through his lashes at her and assessed, yeah, he was adopted. He looked at his watch. "I have to go. Thanks, Doris."

"You be careful, sweetie." She patted his hand.

****

Tony settled at his desk. He ignored Gibbs. He sniped at McGee about hiding out in the lab. "How was the weekend, McGee?" Kate asked, breaking the silence that had decended on the group.

"I got a crash course in accounting," McGee responded. "Paper accounting and double books." He nodded towards Tony. "But other than that, actually rather quiet for once. No one got hurt."

"That's a start. One of Tony's dates didn't try to kill him for not showing up?" Tony let that go, focussing on finishing typing up his latest review of the case he was reviewing. He hated cold cases with a passion. They meant that he wasn't good enough again. This was one of the cases he'd been on with Viv. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember the scene more clearly.

"Appearantly not, Agent Todd. Tony," Gibbs waved when he opened his eyes. Tony looked up. "Get the car, we have a case." Tony caught the keys, grabbed his things and left the office. He wondered for a moment when he'd gotten used to getting the car but not driving it. Damn, maybe he was married.

****

Gibbs made his "Tony" sign - cop plus heart. Tony cocked his head to the side. He glanced at the crime scene. He nodded, "Boss," he signed without bothering to speak. He knew what Gibbs wanted. He always did. It was nice not being yelled at to do it for a change. They had a dead Marine laying on the floor of the bar and seemingly no witnesses since the bar had been closed up tight until the owner opened the door at one. Tony took measurements and snapped a thourough roll of film. He left the sweep of the room, to Kate and McGee for the moment. Probie was starting to get the hang of this. What is that red rope doing there? he wondered. The rope moved. Fuck.

"Boss," Tony froze, staring at the snake. "Trouble." He noticed Kate pull her gun from the corner of his eye. Well, at least he knew the snake would be dead if he did strike. That was a plus. Snake identification. They just didn't teach that in the academy. Gibbs will know what to do. That made his shoulders relax.

McGee had found an empty box in the back of the SUV and was advancing slowly towards the older man. He'd punched holes in the cover by the time he made it back inside. He can't expect me to touch it! Tony thought. I don't touch reptiles. Still, he took the box from McGee and set it on the floor. The snake slithered toward it and into it, obviously a well-treated pet. Tony put the lid onto the box carefully. He wrapped it with the crime scene tape Gibbs offered him. "At least Abby will be happy," McGee muttered. He retreated with the snake.

"Back to work, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped - "You okay?" he signed. Tony nodded. That was a plus he hadn't counted on. Gibbs was willing to be sentimental.

"Fine. I'm thinking of asking for a divorce." The sentence was hard to spell out.

"Never going to happen," Gibbs signed in reply with an icy glare. He started his search by the bar. "McGee, ambulance!"

Tony glanced up when the EMT's surged in to take care of an unconscious woman from behind the bar. He wondered idly who she was. He cursed at the disturbances of his crime scene. He paused. Damn, I was wrong, it's not a marriage, it's an infection. Gibbs has infected my brain!

****

Gibbs glaring a group of shame-faced civilians into submission had been a sight to see. The little bastards had been teasing. They knew their friend was afraid of snakes, so they'd planned everything for his last night of leave. They'd never even considered that someone might get hurt from it. They'd even turned over the tape. Ducky had rambled on for hours about the snake and the heart condition and the bartender's concussion. The report was taking forever to write though because every time he got to the snake he froze for a second. How exactly did he describe the snake? He didn't even know what kind it was, and he wouldn't ask Gibbs about it. He messaged Abby for more information on the black, white and red all-over snake.

He stretched, catching Kate's eye. She turned to him. He grinned at her. "So, you have a good time with. . .?" he trailed off, fishing for the name of who she'd spent the weekend with.

"My mother? Yes, I did. We went to a spa. Did all the wonderful girly things she likes. So, how are the lessons going?"

"Well, I can't curse as fluently as I'd like, but Abby's catching me up on that. But, on the plus side, I can make comments about your assets to McGee without you know it, so it's all good."

Her eyes narrowed. She was just too easy to set off. "My assets?"

"Your training, your wit, your ankles." He smirked at her. She glared at him. "Not to mention, the possibilities for ganging up on you have just expanded." The all-too-familiar smack to the back of his head caught him by surprise. He pouted up at his boss. Gibbs smirked down at him.

"Be good," he ordered.

"You take away all my fun, boss," Tony whined. He was signing automatically now. "Send Kate that website, MIT," he signed to McGee.

"If you want to know, learn," Gibbs said, appearantly to Kate. Her email pinged and McGee sent Tony a thumbs-up.

"Tony, since we're not getting that divorce, you want a ring?" he signed.

"Depends, diamonds are nice."

"Wasn't thinking on your finger." Tony bit his lip, trying to keep from laughing.

"Boss. Not in front of the children." Tony tried to mimic a Gibbs-glare, but his heart wasn't in it. Gibbs grinned.

"Get back to work, DiNozzo," he signed.

"Yes, Gibbs." He'd finally decided on his sign for Gibbs - G-coffee.

FINIS- Tony's POV


	3. Tim's POV

## A Sign of the Times - McGee's POV

McGee yawned. Damn, the Mountain Dew had worn off. He looked regretfully at the screen. He was almost at the end of the level, but he wasn't going to make it without at least a few minutes of rest. He sighed. He laid his head, down on the desk, careful not to sleep on the keyboard. Last time he'd done that he woke up to find fifty pages of what looked like a snake hiss on his screen. The phone ringing was his cell. He opened his bleary eyes. He'd gotten twenty minutes in at least. "McGee," he answered thickly.

"Hey, Probie. We're working a case. I need your eyes for something. No, not computer related." Tony added before he could ask. "But it does have to do with numbers. Oh, and hurry, Gibbs is driving me insane." He hung up the phone without letting McGee say anything else.

"I guess I'm going in," he said, rubbing his eyes. It didn't sound urgent, so he took the time to change into acceptable weekend work clothes. He'd never dress like Tony in silk and denim on the weekends, but he didn't want to wear a full suit either. Ah, forget it. He dragged on the clothes he'd worn Friday and headed to the office.

When he got there Tony glance at the clock. The older agent winced. McGee smiled internally. Maybe he could handle Tony. There was nothing truly malicious in the man that he could see. Kate didn't seem to think that way, but then, Kate didn't seem to think like anyone else. Abby liked Tony, so he couldn't be bad. "Sorry about the time, Probie."

McGee shrugged. He blinked a few times. "What do you need me to look at?"

"These financials. There's something wrong with them, but I'm missing it."

"Okay. What am I looking at?"

Tony gave him a crash course in accounting and the stock market. It was fascinating to listen to him. He wondered idly if Tony'd do his taxes for him. A few hours and three Mountain Dews later, McGee was feeling a lot more alert. "How did you learn all this stuff?"

"Self-preservation." Tony shrugged. Gibbs caught his attention. McGee watched, hiding a smile as Tony and Gibbs exchanged signs. He'd never really considered that you could yell at someone in sign. "On it, boss."

McGee frowned at him. Gibbs had been signing all day, night, whatever. "Did Gibbs lose his voice?"

"No, I made the mistake of mentioning I wanted to learn sign. He wants me to teach you."

"I guess you'll want the website Abby showed me."

"You are a blessing, Probie. Now, see how this doesn't add up, we need to find out where the money went instead of into these accounts."

Gibbs clapped sharply. Tony and McGee both looked up, startled. "Sign it, Tony," Gibbs added a verbal order to the signs.

"Bastard," Tony signed carefully. McGee grinned. Abby had taught him that one when they first got together. In fact, she'd given him some hints and websites.

"This is going to be Hell, isn't it?" McGee muttered. He took in the scope of the papers in front of them and the complexity of the processes they were going to use.

"The other reason I needed you here," Tony said, signing slowly. "He's driving me crazy."

"Short trip." McGee's mouth was moving before he could stop it. He blamed the caffiene.

"Don't make me hurt you, Probie."

The weekend progressed. McGee found the hidden accounts through some almost-legal hacking. Tony watched over his shoulder, verifying the information with the reams of financial paper on his lap. The senior field agent stretched. McGee felt his back twinge in response. He quickly emailed Tony the ASL dictionary to his home and work addresses. "Go home," Gibbs ordered. "Reports ready on Monday." McGee was more than ready for that. He had a level to beat.

****

"I'll go get lunch," McGee told Tony. He glanced at Gibbs' desk. The man was still responding to McGee's voice, but not to Tony's. The tension between the two agents was beginning to give him a headache. He needed to get out of the office. Five Guys, here I come, he thought. He needed grease and soda. I'll stop and get Abby a Caf-Pow on the way back, he decided.

He gathered up the familiar order of hamburgers and fries, then headed on to get Abby her drink of choice. He made his way into the lab. Abby was in the middle of something that looked exceedingly complex, so he left the drink with a sticky note attached to it on her desk. Then, he braced himself to go back into the office.

McGee distributed the hamburgers and opened up the fries they'd share. The three men tucked into their lunch with gusto. They didn't indulge often because Kate would go off about the lack of veggies. One of the other teams, he couldn't be bothered to remember their names most days, walked by. The youngest one grinned and waved. Tony waved back. Gibbs glared at him McGee hid his smile in a bite of hamburger. God, Gibbs was a jealous bastard. And he knew for a fact that Tony and Gibbs weren't a couple. Abby had confirmed that. Well, maybe she had. Sometimes with Abby you couldn't be sure.

"What?" Tony protested, surprised at Gibbs' behavior. McGee was trying very hard not to be surprised by anything these days. It made him feel like an idiot.

Gibbs raised his brows.

"Forget it," Tony signed. He left McGee and Gibbs alone while he went in search of Abby. The youngest agent worked through his report for the third time, double-checking his spelling and verb-tenses. He couldn't handle a Gibbs lecture today. He hadn't slept in twenty-four hours. Maybe that's why he was thinking such weird thoughts. Thoughts like Tony'd tell me if he got together with someone on a permanent basis. Tony wouldn't tell him anything. McGee knew that the stories Tony spun were just that much smoke and mirrors. Tony didn't really have a life. Yeah, he flirted with anything that moved, but he was dedicated to his job. Why was he thinking about Tony again? Abby was a much better topic of daydreams and analysis.

****

Kate showed up a few hours late the next day. McGee escaped the room as quickly as he could. Gibbs was teasing Tony and not being all the subtle about it. McGee needed to run some signs by Abby to figure out what they meant, but he had a fairly good idea that they weren't appropriate for the office. In fact, he'd swear they weren't just by the way Tony was getting more and more snappish. Some of them he knew were the usual "get to work" and "where's my report" that Gibbs usually snapped. But a lot of the comments weren't. And he'd start signing before he had Tony's attention, then refuse to start over. Maybe he was giving Tony a taste of what it was like to actually be deaf. But McGee could see the tension growing in Tony's shoulders, so he'd run before the man exploded.

"Thanks for the soda." Abby grinned at him. "So, what brings you down to my lab? Do I have time to have my wicked way with you?"

McGee felt the heat in his cheeks. He nodded. "Had to get away from them."

"Gibbs being a bastard?" she asked sympathetic. "Poor, Tim. Come here." She gave him a hug and a kiss on the lips. "Better?"

He nodded. "So what are you up to today?"

"Well, there are other teams," she chided. "But of course, they aren't my favorites." She chatted until one of the machines beeped. "Sorry, got to get that."

McGee left her to work. "Probie, coffee run," Tony said, holding up his mug.

Gibbs clapped his hands. Tony glared in his direction. "I told you, you get the coffe, Dinozzo. McGee spilled it last time."

"Oh, did you want coffee?" Tony's eyes were innocent.

"Tony." DiNozzo shoved away from his desk. He grabbed Gibbs' cup on the way past his desk. McGee sat down at his computer and kept his head down until Kate got back.

"What did he do this time?" she asked Tony as she sat down.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Gibbs stated flatly.

McGee hoped against hope that Kate would get Gibbs to stop this. It wasn't fun and it wasn't funny. Tony was in a nasty mood and that never boded well. Tony was always bright and chipper. "Boss," Tony said calmly. "Boss," Tony repeated. "Why did you involve, Abby?" Gibbs didn't say anything, but McGee could hear the slap of his hands. "Just so you know, I am getting Ducky to help me hide your body," Tony said in a reasonable tone. Gibbs laughed.

"What's with the signing? Gibbs, did you lose your voice?"

"No, Kate. DiNozzo wanted to learn to sign, I'm teaching him."

"No, Kate, he's not teaching, he's torturing. He won't listen to me at all, and now he's got Abby doing it too. She pretends that she can't hear me! At least she taught me how to curse more than a year ago." Tony stalked to his boss' desk. McGee ducked his head down again. He wasn't going to get caught in the middle of this one.

"I'm using full immersion. He'll never learn if he has to rely on talking to me. And it won't do him any good with a witness if he has to rely on their ability to read lips. I'm sure Abby's teaching him words I don't want him to know. On the plus side, it's been quieter around here. You should try it."

"Try what? Signing? No, thanks."

"It's useful," Gibbs pointed out.

"Lunch time. I'm going out. Don't expect me before one." McGee winced at the flatness of the tone.

"Take your phone," Gibbs responded.

The computer expert's stomach agreed with Tony's assessment. He pulled his lunch out of his desk drawer and kept working. A message popped up from Kate: 'All weekend?'

'Yes.'

'How long do you think they'll keep it up?'

'Until G's satisfied.' He thought that was obvious. Gibbs never did anything by half measures. Tony would be as fluent as Gibbs, if not moreso, if the former Marine had any say in the matter.

'We're doomed. You know what you were saying about Stockholm Syndrome the other day?'

'Yes?'

'You're right. Not us though. Tony and Gibbs.'

'But which one's the captor?'

'I'm not sure yet.'

****

"You couldn't handle it and ran to the lab, huh, Probie? Did Abby kiss it make it all better?"

McGee nodded with a cheerful smile. Tony glared at him.

"How was the weekend, McGee?" Kate asked, breaking the silence that had decended on the group.

"I got a crash course in accounting," McGee responded. "Paper accounting and double books." He nodded towards Tony. "But other than that, actually rather quiet for once. No one got hurt."

"That's a start. One of Tony's dates didn't try to kill him for not showing up?" Ouch, that was a bad idea. Couldn't she see that teasing Tony was the last thing she should be doing today?

"Appearantly not, Agent Todd. Tony, get the car, we have a case."

Finally, things were going to get back to normal.

****

Gibbs made his "Tony" sign - cop plus heart. Tony cocked his head to the side. He glanced at the crime scene. He nodded, "Boss," he signed without bothering to speak. McGee wondered if he'd ever get to the point where he didn't have to wait for further instructions. Tony had his camera, sketch pad and measuring devices. McGee went to schlep in more supplies. What was he thinking? He already knew what to do without instructions.

"Boss," Tony's voice sounded strange, strangled. "Trouble." McGee stared at the tableau for a moment, identifying the snake. Non-poisonous, calm. Good. He went to find something to transport it in. There was an old shoebox in the back of the SUV. Gibbs' appearantly from the size and style the picture showed. He punched holes in the top and moved slowly towards Tony, not wanting to scare the snake, or get himself shot. The green eyes pleaded with him, but McGee didn't know why the man was still frozen. He handed the box over. Tony put it down. The snake slithered toward it and into it, the way McGee thought it would. Tony put the lid onto the box carefully. He wrapped it with the crime scene tape Gibbs offered him. "At least Abby will be happy," McGee muttered. He retreated with the snake. She loved snakes. Now, she'd have another pet.

"McGee, ambulance!" The phone call was made before McGee even realized he'd done it. He bent over the prone woman and answered all of the questions from the dispatcher. He stayed with her during the ambulance ride and gaurded her room. The doctors were helpful and the nurses assumed they were a couple. When she woke up, the first person she asked after was her boyfriend. McGee sighed. He hated this. He didn't know if he should take her statement or wait for Gibbs. He decided to do it sort of half-and-half. He called Gibbs, but then chatted with her, building rapport and gathering information.

****

Tim stared at his screen, willing his report to be finished by the next time he blinked. It didn't work. He hadn't figured out a way to transfer his thoughts to the computer automatically yet. Then again, no one else had either, so he didn't feel quite so bad. Sarah was a sweet girl and she didn't deserve to have her fiancee stolen away from her. He'd asked her just before closing if she'd marry him and she'd said yes. Tim sighed.

"So, you have a good time with. . .?" Tony's voice trailed off, fishing for information.

"My mother? Yes, I did. We went to a spa. Did all the wonderful girly things she likes. So, how are the lessons going?"

"Well, I can't curse as fluently as I'd like, but Abby's catching me up on that. But, on the plus side, I can make comments about your assets to McGee without you knowing it, so it's all good."

McGee glanced up at that. "My assets?"

"Your training, your wit, your ankles." He waited for the explosion. "Not to mention, the possibilities for ganging up on you have just expanded." Gibbs smacked Tony across the back of the head. McGee winced. It looked harder than it was, obviously.

"Be good," Gibbs ordered.

"You take away all my fun, boss," Tony whined. He was signing automatically now. "Send Kate that website, MIT," he signed to McGee.

"If you want to know, learn," Gibbs said to Kate. Her email pinged and McGee sent Tony a thumbs-up.

"Tony, since we're not getting that divorce, you want a ring?" Gibbs signed. McGee stared for a moment, then decided he didn't want to know. Besides, there was a new crypto program he had to figure out how to convince Gibbs to let him buy.

FINIS - McGee


	4. Gibbs' POV

## A Sign of the Times - Gibbs' POV

"Dinozzo," Gibbs barked into the phone.

"Yes, boss?" The voice on the other end of the line was distracted.

"Get your ass into work."

"Boss?" The sounds of the television in the background ceased. "Give me an hour."

"I don't care if you're naked, it doesn't take an hour to get here. You can watch the movie later. Get a move on it, DiNozzo."

He could hear rustling on the other end of the phone and could almost imagine the young man rifling through his drawers. "Are you calling me because there's a hot murder case or because you're stuck at work?"

"Neither. We've got a cold case that just went hot."

"One of ours?"

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"Seabring."

There was a muttered curse and more rustling. "There better be some coffee left when I get there."

"I'll even make a pot at your strength."

"Thanks. See ya, boss." Tony hung up and Gibbs laughed to himself. He'd had the same reaction when the Director called him. Honestly, the case was white collar. There was just missing money, no bodies, no rapes, nothing dangerous. But an unnamed high-rank personage had seen their missing primary suspect on a beach in Florida with a pretty blonde.

Tony showed up, less than an hour later, neatly dressed and freshly scrubbed. He looked at the boxes that littered the office area. He frowned. "Do those things multiply in evidence or what?"

"The papers? Probably. Pencils sharpened, DiNozzo."

"Right. Where do you want me to start?"

"Go over the books again. Complete financial work up."

"Boss."

"What?"

"It took me three weeks to do those financials the first time around."

"You're better now."

DiNozzo's eyes narrowed. "You're buying me lunch. Coffee ready?"

Gibbs raised a brow. "Orders?"

"Statements of fact."

"I want a list of anything he might have in Florida."

"On it, boss." The young man took off his windbreaker, exposing his shoulder holster. Gibbs smiled grimly to himself. It had taken Tony three weeks to do the financials because he'd been working with a sprained wrist, one eye swollen shut, and pain meds for his broken ribs that put him to sleep. There was at least one nurse out there who was still convinced that Gibbs had done it. He poured the coffee. Hell, DiNozzo'd lasted over three years now. It had to be a record for both of them.

Tony was pouring over the numbers, pencil tapping sharply on the pad of papers. He'd stop occasionally, making a note on his legal pad. Then, the tapping would start. Tony put his hand out for his coffee, not bothering to look up. Gibbs gave into the temptation. He ruffled Tony's hair, just to hear him squawk about it. "Gibbs!"

"What?"

"Just because you don't care about your hair."

"Don't worry. It looks. . . cute." Gibbs was on his way to his desk when the ball of paper hit him in the back of his head.

****

The pizza was open on Tony's desk and they were both eating from it. The conversation had lapsed for a moment. "Is there a book or something you'd reccomend if I wanted to learn to sign?" Tony asked, apropos of nothing.

Gibbs studied the young man, trying to assess his seriousness. Tony looked up, as if he'd heard the mental command and their eyes met for a long moment. "Let me teach you," Gibbs said finally.

"Sure," Tony agreed with a smile. His eyes were bright.

The former Marine considered his senior agent. "You'll want to find a dictionary to supplement, but I'll walk you through things. Oh, and Tony, if you don't sign, I won't answer. From here on, I'm deaf to you unless we're on a scene."

"Boss?" Tony swallowed. There was a hint of fear in Tony's eyes now.

"Sign it. Even if you have to finger-spell it. I know you know that much."

"I don't understand, boss." He watched the young man calmly. "Boss?" Tony tried again, finger-spelling the word slowly. Gibbs smiled.

B-O-S-S, Gibbs signed, then made the real sign.

"Boss?" Tony confirmed using the sign. They worked through the files. There wasn't a lot to say beyond, I need that file. Tony looked up with a frustrated sigh. "Boss, I need McGee." He stumbled through the sentence. He used "MIT" for McGee like Abby usually did. Gibbs nodded. That had to be a big step. Tony didn't like working the weekends, but he really hated not having Gibbs' full attention when he did work weekends like this. If he needed McGee, then he'd get him. He gestured toward the phone. Tony sighed. He glared at his boss. Gibbs smirked, laughing at the man's reluctance. "Hey, Probie. We're working a case. I need your eyes for something. No, not computer related. But it does have to do with numbers. Oh, and hurry, Gibbs is driving me insane. McGee is coming in."

Gibbs absorbed that. He signed slowly and distinctly. Tony bit his lip, silently translating. "You something MIT," he said to himself. He mimicked the middle sign with raised brows. He seemed to be figuring it out. "Teach?" he asked. Gibbs nodded. "Get more coffee." DiNozzo rolled his eyes, but got the gist of that one easily enough. Of course, the fact that he didn't actually have to say it these days might have had something to do with it. Gibbs smirked to himself. If he could get his whole team to sign, they'd drive the organization insane.

"Sorry about the time, Probie." Gibbs glanced at the clock to confirm that it was only quarter to eleven. Just another all nighter. Too bad that they were all exempt from over-time.

McGee shrugged. He blinked a few times. "What do you need me to look at?"

"These financials. There's something wrong with them, but I'm missing it."

"Okay. What am I looking at?"

A few hours later, McGee was looking a lot more alert. "How did you learn all this stuff?"

"Self-preservation." Tony shrugged.

Gibbs caught the young man's attention. "Teach McGee."

"Don't want to, boss," Tony signed back carefully.

Gibbs frowned. He signed "cop-heart" slowly enough that Tony winced, obviously reading his irriation.

"On it, boss."

McGee was frowning at him. "Did Gibbs lose his voice?"

"No, I made the mistake of mentioning I wanted to learn sign. He wants me to teach you."

Gibbs listened in with glee. He looked over the background check information that he had on his own desk. He glanced up to verify that Tony was signing.

"I guess you'll want the website Abby showed me."

"You are a blessing, Probie. Now, see how this doesn't add up, we need to find out where the money went instead of into these accounts."

Gibbs clapped sharply. Tony looked at him, eyes wide. "Sign it, Tony."

"Bastard," Tony signed carefully.

Gibbs smirked. "You know it." He turned to his computer. He squinted at the screen, bringing up the email program. "Abby," he typed, "I'm teaching Tony to sign. Don't respond unless he signs to you." He sent the message to her home address. As he'd guessed, there was a message back in less than a minute.

"Gotcha," she agreed. Tony was going to shoot him.

"This is going to be Hell, isn't it," McGee muttered.

"The other reason I needed you here," Tony said, signing slowly. "He's driving me crazy."

"Short trip."

"Don't make me hurt you, Probie."

The weekend progressed. McGee found the hidden accounts through some almost-legal hacking. Tony verified it on hard copy. It was a good weekend's work. They'd get the information to the Florida team and let them bring him in. If he didn't break, then they'd fly to Florida. "Go home," Gibbs ordered. "Reports ready on Monday."

****

Gibbs was buried in his files, trying to get ahead just in case they were called. The room was quiet, except for the background murmur of other teams. Tony waved to catch Gibbs' attention. "I'm going to see Abby."

"There better be a report on my desk first." DiNozzo would "forget" to finish his report if he didn't get it done right now. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't like yelling at his team. It made Tony jumpy. Well, then again, he did enjoy yelling at them. He watched Tony work over top of his coffee cup. The young man was focussed today. It was nice to see that investigator every once and awhile. He didn't miss having Kate around. Tony didn't bother with as much attention seeking behavior when it was just the two of them.

The smell of Five Guys wafted through the room, announcing McGee's return. Tony's head lifted up, seeking the grease. It was a guy thing. Kate never indulged in it, the fool. The three men shared the fries. They tucked into their burgers with almost identical sighs of pleasure.

Burton's team walked by. The youngest one grinned and waved. Tony waved back. Gibbs glared at Tony. He might not want his team cowering in fear, but he hated the idea that the young man might be looking for another team.

"What?" The young agent didn't sign the word.

Gibbs raised his brows.

"Forget it," Tony signed, frustration showing in his eyes. Gibbs bit into his burger, happily. There was plenty of time to remind DiNozzo that he didn't take team loyalty lightly. When Tony escaped to see Abby, Gibbs grinned. McGee looked at him nervously.

"There a problem, McGee?"

"No, boss."

"Report ready yet?"

McGee winced. "On it, boss."

The phone rang. "Gibbs."

"Jethro."

"What's up, Duck?"

"What have you done to young Anthony? He seemed rather tense when he went to the lab."

"And you assume it has to do with me?"

"Jethro."

"Nothing he didn't ask for, Ducky. He's learning to sign."

"And I take it that you have either forbidden him to speak or done something foolish such as not listening to him?"

"Ducky," Gibbs heard the warning in his voice.

"You know Anthony enjoys trading quips with his teammates. He needs the sound of voices to feel connected."

"Ducky, he's fine. If it gets to be too much, he'll let me know."

"Will he, Jethro, or will he merely bow to your wishes once again?"

"We're not having this conversation again." Gibbs hung up the phone.

****

"I was thinking chocolate pudding and whipped cream with cherries," Gibbs signed. Tony looked at him with a confused frown.

"What?"

"Nothing. Get to work, DiNozzo."

McGee was alternately hiding behind his computer monitor and sulking in the lab with Abby. Gibbs mostly ignored it. They didn't have any cases that were urgent. He didn't really care what his agents did as long as the work got done. "Maybe handcuffs and a blindfold," he signed almost absently.

"You're doing that on purpose," Tony accused, almost pouting. Oh, who was Gibbs kidding, pouting. There was no one to bother them except the security cameras. Tony was pouting. He was also known to sulk. Gibbs caught his eyes. That intense connection lay between them for a long moment. Tony looked away first. He always did, but only with Gibbs.

"Really, you should try the strawberry sauce."

"Stop it, you're making me hungry."

"Hungry?"

"Yes."

"That report done yet?"

"Bastard."

Kate showed up a few hours late, but that had been expected. By that time, Tony was glaring at his boss. Tony was actually rather good at discerning the Gibbs' needs without anything but a glare, but it was fun to frustrate him. He'd almost worn the last mug of coffee Tony'd brought him and was glad to see the sparks in the sweet green eyes. Tony didn't get pissed off nearly often enough.

"What did he do this time?" Kate asked Tony as she sat down.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Gibbs stated flatly. "Get to work, Dinozzo," he added.

"Boss," Tony said calmly. Gibbs didn't move. Tony snorted. He waved his hand. Gibbs glanced up. "Boss," Tony repeated, signing this time, "Why did you involve, Abby?"

"Because I could." Gibbs smirked.

"Just so you know, I am getting Ducky to help me hide your body," Tony responded. Gibbs laughed.

"What's with the signing? Gibbs, did you lose your voice?"

"No, Kate. DiNozzo wanted to learn to sign, I'm teaching him."

"No, Kate, he's not teaching, he's torturing. He won't listen to me at all, and now he's got Abby doing it too. She pretends that she can't hear me! At least she taught me how to curse more than a year ago." Tony stalked to his boss' desk. Gibbs watched him from the corner of his eye, appreciating the grace.

"I'm using full immersion. He'll never learn if he has to rely on talking to me. And it won't do him any good with a witness if he has to rely on their ability to read lips. I'm sure Abby's teaching him words I don't want him to know. On the plus side, it's been quieter around here. You should try it."

"Try what? Signing? No, thanks."

"It's useful."

Tony waved to catch Gibbs' attention. He'd been surprisingly patient. "Lunch time. I'm going out. Don't expect me before one."

"Take your phone," Gibbs responded. Tony flipped him off, but picked up his phone. Gibbs caught his attention "Promises, promises."

A sweet blush glazed Tony's cheeks for the instant before he turned to leave. Gibbs supressed the smirk that wanted to fill his face. He had him, now he just had to keep him. It was past Tony's usual two year record and he needed to know just how much he'd take.

****

When Tony got back, he was more settled. He noted the small smile that indicated that he'd indulged in his comfort food of choice. He'd likely flirted outrageously with his waitress, or waiter, and Gibbs felt a surge of jealousy. He nearly blinked at the sensation, but steeled himself to it. No, he was not going to get jealous any time DiNozzo left his sight.

Tony sniped at McGee about hiding out in the lab.

"How was the weekend, McGee?" Kate asked, breaking the silence that had decended on the group.

"I got a crash course in accounting," McGee responded. "Paper accounting and double books." He nodded towards Tony. "But other than that, actually rather quiet for once. No one got hurt."

"That's a start. One of Tony's dates didn't try to kill him for not showing up?"

Tony ignored her. Gibbs focussed on the phone call. "Appearantly not, Agent Todd." She seemed startled that he'd call her on teasing Tony, but Gibbs didn't care. He'd been hard on the young man. He deserved a break. "Tony," Gibbs waved when the green eyes opened. Tony looked up. "Get the car, we have a case." Tony caught the keys, grabbed his things and left the office.

****

Gibbs made his "Tony" sign - cop plus heart. Tony cocked his head to the side. He glanced at the crime scene. He nodded, "Boss," he signed without bothering to speak. It was more a case of familiarity than anything else that them function as a team. There was a dead Marine in an appearantly locked room and Gibbs wanted to know why. McGee was busy fetching equipment and Kate was working on the far side of the room. Before Gibbs could reach the bartop that dominated the room, Tony's voice came to his ears, strangled, scared.

"Boss, trouble." Tony was staring at a snake and it stared back at him. Gibbs noticed Kate pull her gun from the corner of his eye. Non-poisonous, he assessed. He waited to see what his team would do. Sometimes, they needed to figure things out on their own. McGee came back with the shoebox Gibbs had left in the back of the car, empty of the shoes he'd once kept there. He was wearing them right now, actually.

McGee had punched holes in the top. He moved forward slowly to hand over the box without startling the snake. He paused, maybe so that he wouldn't startle the older agent who was still frozen staring at the snake. The snake slithered toward it and into the shoebox, obviously a pet. Tony put the lid onto the box carefully. He wrapped it with the crime scene tape Gibbs offered him. "At least Abby will be happy," McGee muttered. He retreated with the snake.

"Back to work, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped - "You okay?" he signed. Tony nodded. Not many people knew Tony's reluctance with reptiles.

"Fine. I'm thinking of asking for a divorce." The signing was slow, but understandable.

"Never going to happen," Gibbs replied with an icy glare. He started his search by the bar. "McGee, ambulance!" Gibbs knelt down and felt for the young woman's pulse. There was blood in her hair. Damn, he refused to lose another person to whatever had happened here.

The EMT's surged into the small space and Gibbs left them to it, making sure to note anything they moved. Luckily, Tony had already taken shots of the room. He was sketching now. Kate was starting to print the place. What a stellar waste of time that was going to be.

****

Gibbs glared at the group of idiots in front of them. The stupid bastards hadn't even stayed up to watch their prank, thinking they'd have plenty of time to review the tape. Their big, bad Marine buddy, scared by a little snake. They shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his gaze. McGee had gotten the information from their dead man's new fiancee. He wasn't sure they'd get a prosecuter to do anything with the case, but he had to send it up and see. He nearly growled. He left the idiots in the care of the lawyers and hoped that they'd at least get the scare of their lives from this.

Ducky had rambled on for hours about the snake and the heart condition and the bartender's concussion. Gibbs let the words wash over him. Sometimes there was nothing better than listening to the randomly weaving stories to calm him down. Eventually, he sighed. He had to finish up his report and get his team to go home. If he was lucky, he'd get DiNozzo to smile at least once more before they all left.

****

Tony stretched. "So, you have a good time with. . .?" he trailed off, fishing for the name of who Kate had spent the weekend with.

"My mother? Yes, I did. We went to a spa. Did all the wonderful girly things she likes. So, how are the lessons going?"

"Well, I can't curse as fluently as I'd like, but Abby's catching me up on that. But, on the plus side, I can make comments about your assets to McGee without you know it, so it's all good."

"My assets?" The female agent's voice was dangerously low.

"Your training, your wit, your ankles. Not to mention, the possibilities for ganging up on you have just expanded." Gibbs smacked him across the back of the head. There were some things he had to nip in the bud. Tony looked up at him, pouting.

"Be good," he ordered.

"You take away all my fun, boss," Tony whined. He was signing automatically now. "Send Kate that website, MIT," he signed to McGee.

"If you want to know, learn," Gibbs said, in answer to Kate's glare. Her email pinged and McGee sent Tony a thumbs-up. Gibbs went to his own desk. His team was getting closer.

"Tony, since we're not getting that divorce, you want a ring?" he signed after he caught the younger man's eyes. It was safe to tease him now. The "killer" had been caught and the reports mostly done.

"Depends, diamonds are nice."

Gibbs snorted to himself. Of course, Tony'd want the good stuff. "Wasn't thinking on your finger." Tony bit his lip, but it didn't stop the laughter in his eyes.

"Boss. Not in front of the children." Tony tried to mimic a Gibbs-glare, but his heart wasn't in it. Gibbs grinned.

"Get back to work, DiNozzo," he signed.

"Yes, Gibbs." Tony had finally found a symbol for Gibb's name: g-coffee. Gibbs had to smile at that. He'd wondered how long that would take.

FINIS- Gibbs


	5. Abby's POV

## A Sign of the Times - Abby's POV

Abby was busy chatting and surfing when the email from Gibbs popped up. She shook her head. If Gibbs is working overtime, that means I should have a message from Tony any minute now. She opened the message. "Abby, I'm teaching Tony to sign. Don't respond unless he signs to you."

She laughed. "Gotcha," she sent back. Still chuckling, she dove back into her on-line life.

****

That Monday, she turned around from her latest test results to find a Caff-Pow from McGee on her desk. She smirked. MIT really did know how to treat her right. She took a gulp of it and went back to work. Gibbs might be her favorite team lead, but he wasn't the only one she had to deal with.

****

McGee smiled at her over the top of her computer screen. She grinned at him. "Thanks for the soda. So, what brings you down to my lab? Do I have time to have my wicked way with you?"

He blushed, but nodded. "Had to get away from them." He gestured towards the upstairs. There were several different things that could mean. Gibbs could be cranky. Tony could be annoying Tim. Or the two men could be pushing each others buttons to see who'd break first this time. It would be Tony of course. Tony only challenged the lead dog to be put in his place. She ignored the minor fantasy that though invoked.

"Gibbs being a bastard?" she asked sympathetic. "Poor, Tim. Come here." She held out her arm. She gave Tim a hug and a kiss on the lips. She'd like to do more, but it wasn't something she should do in the office when someone could walk in. She liked this job. "Better?"

He nodded, a gentle smile on his lips. There was always something to be said for being friends with benefits. Gibbs knew. Tony knew. Kate definitely knew. "So what are you up to today?" he asked her.

"Well, there are other teams," she chided. "But of course, they aren't my favorites." She chatted until one of the machines beeped. "Sorry, got to get that."

When she turned back around, Tim had disappeared back upstairs. She sighed and gulped more of her sacred caffiene. She turned the music up another notch.

****

Abby looked up when someone tugged her ponytail. "Hi, Abbs," Tony said cheerfully. He looked adorably sulky. Gibbs was a fool not to jump his more than willing bones.

She cocked her head to the side. She grinned at him. "What brings you down here?" she signed.

"No, Abbs, please," he begged. She didn't relent. "Gibbs, is evil."

She rolled her eyes. "What do you need, pretty boy?" She'd been using that particular sign for Tony since she'd met him. Gibbs just rolled his eyes about it.

"That's not right."

"Get used, to it. It's all you."

"Bitch."

She smirked. "Takes one to know one. How are the lessons coming?"

He caught her hands. "Slow down," he finger signed. She gave him a sheepish smile in apology. She forgot that the only signs he knew were the ones she and Gibbs had taught him over the years.

"So ask me your questions. If you're nice, I'll teach you how to tease McGee." She signed slowly, explaining the signs he didn't understand with finger signs.

Tony sighed. "He has drawn you to the Dark Side," he told her with a frown. She winked at him. When he'd finally made it through a session of serious gossip and was smiling again, she sent him back up to Gibbs. She shook her head. The poor thing had it bad. That was the only reason she could think of for taking all the shit Gibbs dished out. Maybe Tony was a sub though. She licked her lips. She needed to shut down that thought. Not at work, she told herself firmly. You want to imagine the boy in leather pants and a collar while he blows Gibbs you do it at home, she told herself firmly.

FINIS -Abby


	6. Ducky's POV

## A Sign of the Times - Ducky's POV

Ducky watched as young Anthony stalked out of the elevator. He paused in the hall for a moment, then closed his eyes. The frustration in his frame was obvious. He stomped back into the elevator. Ducky chuckled darkly to himself. Perhaps he should call Abby and warn her of the impending invasion.

Instead, he picked up the phone and punched the pre-programmed number. "Gibbs."

"Jethro," he lengthened the name, displaying his displeasure. Anthony was a good friend, perhaps even a beloved nephew or grandson to him. He would not allow him to be hurt any further by Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"What's up, Duck?"

"What have you done to young Anthony? He seemed rather tense when he went to the lab."

"And you assume it has to do with me?"

"Jethro." Anthony's foul moods were always related to Jethro in one way or another. Either he felt he'd messed up some key piece of an investigation, Gibbs was mother-henning him, or he was being pushed hard by the older man. Anthony had a well-hidden temper and no one was better at bringing it out than Jethro.

"Nothing he didn't ask for, Ducky. He's learning to sign."

"And I take it that you have either forbidden him to speak or done something foolish such as not listening to him?"

"Ducky." There was a warning in the tone of voice, but Ducky had no fear of Jethro.

"You know Anthony enjoys trading quips with his teammates. He needs the sound of voices to feel connected." Anthony's world was mostly aural. He learned best from the spoken word, and adored the attention speaking got him.

"Ducky, he's fine. If it gets to be too much, he'll let me know."

"Will he, Jethro, or will he merely bow to your wishes once again?" Ducky shook his head. For a smart man, Gibbs was singularly unable to see what was right in front of his face. Anthony would never disobey an order from his boss. He was devoted to the man. He'd destroy himself on Jethro's command.

"We're not having this conversation again." A dial tone followed the statement.

The doctor sighed and leaned back. What a true mess this was becoming. Anthony had been in love with Jethro since the moment they met and Jethro obviously returned the affection. However, neither man was willing to bend long enough to admit it to each other. One of these days he was just going to lock them in a closed room and leave them there until they got it out of their system. He turned back to his latest journal.

FINIS - Ducky


End file.
